Wireless charging of batteries of electronic devices has historically been performed by using inductive coupling. A charging base station receiver of an electronic device may have one or more coils in which a current may be applied to produce a magnetic field such that when another coil is place in close proximity, a transformer effect is created and power is transferred between the coils. However, such inductive coupling has a short range limit, such as a few inches or less. Examples of such wireless charging include electronic toothbrushes that are placed on a charging stand and inductive pads inclusive of one or more coils to enable electronic devices with coil(s) to be placed on the pads to be charged.
While inductive charging is helpful to eliminate users having to plug power cords into electronic devices for charging, the limited range at which electronic devices have to be positioned from charging stations is a significant shortcoming of the inductive charging technology. For example, if a user of a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, is in a conference room without a charging pad or sufficient number of charging pads, then the user is unable to charge his or her phone without a traditional power cord.
Remote wireless charging has recently been developed. Remote wireless charging operates by generating a wireless signal inclusive of sufficient power to charge a battery of an electronic device. Such technology, however, has been limited due to technology advancements being a challenge, as transmitters, receivers, antennas, communications protocols, and intelligence of transmitters have all had to be developed (i) so that sufficient wireless power is able to be wirelessly directed to charge electronic devices and (ii) so that the remote wireless charging is safe and effective for people. One problem that exists for producing transmitter antennas is the cost of production due to parts and assembly of the parts to produce the transmitter inclusive of multiple, in some cases many, antennas that form an antenna array.
While certain advancements in remote wireless charging have occurred, acceptance of the new technology into homes and businesses (e.g., conference rooms) often requires design elements that extend beyond functionality. As an example, for remote wireless power charging that enables a transmitter to deliver high gain in small areas, three-dimensional (3D) transmitter antennas may be utilized. However, at frequencies used for the remote wireless charging of electronic devices, the 3D antennas have sufficiently large dimensions (e.g., depth) that consumers and businesses may resist such devices into their homes and offices as a result of undesirable aesthetics and dimensions that the 3D transmitter antennas extend from a wall on which the transmitters are mounted.